Nominations for WMA 2018 Professional Awards

The Western Museums Association celebrates excellence and leadership in the museum field and among it's individual and institutional members. Each year at the Annual Meeting, awardees are recognized for their achievements. Nominations for these awards are accepted until July 20, 2018 and the WMA invites members to participate.

There are two significant changes to the awards that will be given in Tacoma, WA at the 2018 WMA Annual Meeting. First, the name of the Director's Chair Award has been changed to the WMA Leadership Award. The Leadership Award celebrates outstanding achievement in the museum field by a professional whose career has had a sustained, considerable, and lasting impact on museum practices. More information about the WMA Leadership Award is available here.

Additionally, WMA is introducing the WMA Impact Award. The new WMA Impact Award will be presented at the Annual Meeting to a current mid-career museum professional who has a minimum of ten years’ experience in the field. The award recognizes an individual’s work on a specific project or program, efforts to bring about organizational change, or leadership within the community having a significant, positive effect on their museum, the surrounding community, or the museum field in the Western region. The award includes a $1,500 stipend to aid in the awardee’s continuing professional development. More information and the nomination form for the WMA Impact Award is avaliable here.

The WMA is also pleased to consider applications for the annual Charles Redd Center for Western Studies Exhibition Award which honors excellence for an exhibition that furthers the study and understanding of the American West. The award is funded by the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies at Brigham Young University. The competition recognizes outstanding achievement of a temporary exhibition (i.e., one with a specific closing date) from all types of museums as defined by the American Alliance of Museums, without regard to geographical location, size, budget, discipline or age. More information and the nomincation for the 2018 Charles Redd Exhibition Award is avaliable here.